From the BBC:

Scientists are coming closer to developing a reliable prenatal test for autism, which would open the door to selective abortion as well as the possibility of a prenatal drug treatment to prevent the disorder.

Simon Baron-Cohen, director of the Autism Research Centre at Cambridge University, urges that society proceed cautiously and engage in a full public debate before any tests are made available. He worries that efforts to eradicate autism might in the process end up reducing the number of future great mathematicians. An excerpt:

Caution is needed before scientists embrace prenatal testing so that we do not inadvertently repeat the history of eugenics or inadvertently ‘cure’ not just autism but the associated talents that are not in need of treatment.

With audio of an interview/debate featuring Baron-Cohen and Joy Delhanty, professor of human genetics at the University College of London and director of the UCL Center for Pre-Implantation Genetic Diagnosis.

This entry was posted on Thursday, January 8th, 2009 at 6:08 pm and is filed under abortion, autism, genetic diversity, genetics, NOT2BEMISSED, prenatal diagnosis, selective termination. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.